Jerry N.
TVWBB Emerald Member
I used a brine using buttermilk for the first time today. I mixed the buttermilk with salt, sugar, cumin, black pepper, ancho pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. The chicken was a whole breast on the bone. I cooked it high heat on my gasser in a pan with some carrots(just to keep the chicken off the pan) and water to prevent fire/flare-up.
The chicken turned out very moist. Unfortunately, I burned the skin so maybe not so high heat next time. However, that did no harm to the breast meat. It was good.
But what about the brine? Well, I'm guessing the salt has a need to be in there and maybe even the sugar, but I don't think I got any flavor from the other ingredients. I brined for 20+ hours and this breast was moist but I don't think the other ingredients added anything to the process.
I think I will try again with just buttermilk, salt and sugar.
If interested, my brine was 2 cups buttermilk, 1T of salt, 1T sugar, 1t garlic powder, 1t onion powder, 1t cumin, 1/2t black pepper, 1/2t Ancho chili pepper. Soak in zip lock bag 20+ hrs.
The chicken turned out very moist. Unfortunately, I burned the skin so maybe not so high heat next time. However, that did no harm to the breast meat. It was good.
But what about the brine? Well, I'm guessing the salt has a need to be in there and maybe even the sugar, but I don't think I got any flavor from the other ingredients. I brined for 20+ hours and this breast was moist but I don't think the other ingredients added anything to the process.
I think I will try again with just buttermilk, salt and sugar.
If interested, my brine was 2 cups buttermilk, 1T of salt, 1T sugar, 1t garlic powder, 1t onion powder, 1t cumin, 1/2t black pepper, 1/2t Ancho chili pepper. Soak in zip lock bag 20+ hrs.
